Gripper for printing-presses.



No. 822,967. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. P. I. MAOAULEY.

GRIPPER FOR PRINTING PRESSES. APIfLIoATmn FILED NOV. 11, 1905.

IIHH" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented June 12, 1906.

Application filed November 11, 1905'- Serial No. 286,785.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK I. MAcAULnY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Alameda, county of Alameda, State of California, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grippers for Printing-Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the same.

My invention relates to that class of grippers for the platens ofprinting-presses in which the gripper-strip is formed with alongitudinal slot, serving as a means of connection and a guide foradjustable extensions or arms fitted thereto.

My present invention consists in certain improvements in that form ofgripper for which Letters Patent of the United States No. 721,377 weregranted to me February 24, 1903, said improvements lying in the form ofthe guide-slot and the construction of the clamp-head of the adjustableextension or arm, as I shall hereinafter fully describe.

The objects of my invention are to simplify the clamp-head both inconstruction and use and to provide for readily fitting it to andremoving it from the gripper.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of theplaten of a printing-press, showing the general application of mygripper. Fig. 2 is a plan, enlarged, of my gripper. Fi 3 is an edge viewof the same. Fig. 4 is a cross-section on the line 00 :1: of Fig. 2.Fig. 5 is a section on the line y y of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a top view ofthe spring of the clamp-head.

In Fig. 1, A is the platen of a printingpress.

B is the oscillating gripping-bar carried thereby and provided with theusual longitudinal slot or slots 6.

C represents in dotted lines the paper on the platen, and D representsthe gage-pins for registering the paper.

E is the gripperstrip, provided at one end with the hole a to secure abolt 6 and nut e to adjustably secure the gripper in the slot orslots 1) of the gripper-bar.

The gripper consists, as in my previous patent, of a flat strip formedwith the longitu dinal slot 6 adapting it for the adjustable extensionsor arms 6 of which there may be one or more, two being here shown, ofdifferent shapes to suit various situations. The thickness of thegripper-strip E on that side of the slot 6 which is traversed by theextensions e is less than that of the remainder of the strip, thematerial being recessed or taken away from the under surface, so thatthe extensions may pass under the thin or recessed part of the strip andmay thus lie practically flush with the general under surface of thegripper, and so press flat down on the paper. This feature is the sameas in my previous patent; but the clampheads of the extensions e and themanner of inserting them in and removing them from the gripper aredifferent. The head comprises the widened end a of the extension, acap-plate 6 having a seat-block e on its under surface, and a bentspring e having an open center, as seen in Fig. 6, fitted over the block6 so that its upturned ends, as seen in Fig. 5, rise to the cap-plate,leaving its center free to yield.

The spring lies between the end 0 of the extension and the cap-plate e,and screws or, better still, rivets 6 passing through capplate, block,and the fiat end of the extension, hold the parts of the head together.

The walls of the slot 6 are formed with thin ribs 6 and at one end saidslot is formed with an entrance-aperture a large enough to receive thewhole head of the extension e and to permit its removal.

To fit the extension a to the gripper-strip E, its head is entered frombelow into the aperture a, so that the cap-plate 0 lies flush with thetop of the gripper-strip and the wide end 6 lies flush with the bottom.Now by a slight pressure on the extension, tendin to advance its headinto the slot 6, the side ribs 6 of said slot are caused to enter underthe spring e which yielding passes on top of the ribs, while the uppersurface of the wide end 6 of the extension passes below said ribs.Continued pressure then enters the head fully in the slot e, and theribs e are thus clamped between the spring and extension,

and the extension is thus gripped with a clamping-pressure suflicient tohold it in place for any use to which it is put, and yet sufiicientlyyielding to allow it to be slipped along to any desired position. Ifgreater friction be desired, the under surface of the recessed or thinportion of the gripper may be slightly roughened, though this will befound unnecessary, as the spring will hold the extension properly forall purposes.

The extension may be readily removed from the gripper-strip by slidingit back clear of the ribs e to the aperture e, in which the head isfree. By this construction the extension may be easily fitted to,adjusted upon and removed from the gripper without delay or the use oftools, and when in place it is properly and truly held in the positiondesired. The seat-block e of the extensionhead. cap-plate not onlyserves as a seat for the spring to hold it true, but its sides serve asabutting guides against the ribs 6 so that the head slides true and isheld steady Without play or lost movement.

Having thus described my invention ,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

I l. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot, said strip having its under surface, forward of theslot, recessed; and an extension provided with a head slidably fittingthe slot of the strip and comprising the extension end passing under therecessed under surface of the strip, a cap-plate fitted to the slot andsecured above said end, and an intervening spring for clamping said.head to said strip.

2. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot provided with ribs on its side walls, and an extensionprovided with a head slidably fitted to the ribs of the slot, andcomprising the extension end, a cap-plate secured above said end and anintervening spring for clamping the head to the ribs of the slot.

3. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot, and an extension provided with a head slidablyfitting the slot of the strip and comprising the extension end, acapplate secured above said end, an intervening spring for clamping thehead to said strip, and a block between said end and cap-plate, forseating the spring and guiding the head in the slot.

4. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot provided with ribs on its side walls, and an extensionprovided with a head slidably fitted to the ribs of the slot, andcomprising the extension end, a cap-plate secured above said end, anintervening spring for clamping the head to the ribs of the slot and ablock between said end and cap-plate for seating the spring and guidingthe head in the slot.

7 5. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot having an entrance-aperture, and an extension providedwith a head adapted to be entered in and removed from said aperture andslidably fitting the slot of the strip, said head comprising theextension end, a cap-plate secured above said end and an interveningspring for clamping said head to said strip.

6. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot having an entrance-aperture and provided with ribs onits side walls, and an extension provided with a head adapted to beentered into and removed from said aperture, and slidably fitted to theribs of the slot, said head comprising the extension end, a capplatesecured above said end and an intervening spring for clamping said headto the ribs of the slot.

7. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot having an entranceaperture, and an extension providedwith a head adapted to be en tered in and removed from said aperture andslidably fitting the slot of the strip, said head comprising theextension end, a cap-plate secured above said. end, an interveningspring for clamping said head to said strip, and a block between saidend and cap-plate, for seating the spring and guiding the head in theslot.

8. A gripper for printing-presses consisting of a strip formed with alongitudinal slot having an entrance-aperture and provided with ribs onits side walls, and an extension provided with a head adapted to beentered into and removed from said aperture, and slidably fitted to theribs of the slot, said head comprising the extension end, a capplatesecured above said end, an intervening spring for clamping said head tothe ribs of the slot and a block between said end and cap-plate forseating the spring and guiding the head in the slot.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK I. MACAULEY.

WVitnesses:

J. COMPTON, D. B. RICHARDS

